Splits are usually sold with an ice cream core, as an example of a milk based frozen confection, with a stick for holding the product and an outer layer of water ice. However, they are not limited to this geometry and may be in other shapes, e.g. spherical, and can be in a container for consumption. For example an ice cream could be produced in a standard tub with a layer of water ice on top. The term "split" is used herein to be a mass of ice confection having a layer of water ice in contact with it.
The milk containing frozen confection contains milk proteins and the class includes ice cream, frozen yoghurt, sherbet, sorbet, ice milk and frozen custards. The usual form of protein will be animal milk but vegetable sources, e.g. soya milk, are also usable. There is no criticality in the source of the milk protein and it may be incorporated as liquid milk, cream, skimmed milk, milk powder and skimmed milk powder, as examples.
One known method of manufacturing split products is to partially freeze a water ice composition in the form of a cylinder closed at one end and then fill the centre core with liquid ice cream composition. Typically the water ice solution is placed in a cone in a freezing bath. The cone is inverted when the water ice contacting the cone wall is frozen and then an ice confection placed in the core. A stick for hand holding is placed in the core.
The manufacture of a two component ice confection by this route requires careful manipulation of the feedstocks and the several stages of handling. There is usually a restriction in the product geometry which can be obtained. The levels of overrun in the ice confection are limited because at higher levels the ice confection is more viscous.